


A Promise Unkept

by kuro



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-22
Updated: 2014-07-22
Packaged: 2018-02-10 00:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2003130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuro/pseuds/kuro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony asks Steve to be his fake lover to get rid of a stalker. He also promises him that he won't regret this.</p>
<p>Steve should have known this wouldn't end well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Promise Unkept

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt from tofillaprompt on tumblr: A promise unkept isn't necessarily a promise unfulfilled; a lesson in what it means to love Tony Stark.

“Just for a few weeks, Steve,” Tony basically begged him. “Then this is all going to be over, we’ll forget all about it, and we can go back to normal. Just, please.”

“Am I going to regret this?” Steve asked with a sigh.

“No, Steve, I promise you aren’t going to regret it. You have my word,” Tony emphasised.

“Your word, huh,” Steve grinned, giving Tony a mockingly dubious look.

“Why do I suddenly feel insulted?” Tony pouted. “I’m pretty sure there was an insult in there somewhere.”

“Must have been your imagination,” Steve waved him off. “I’ll do it.”

  
  


Steve had said yes, but honestly, he didn’t know whether that really had been a wise choice or not. Tony had suddenly come to him and asked for help, and while Steve was always up for helping people, he wasn’t sure about this… thing.

Tony had explained the situation to him lengthily and wordily, but it really didn’t make much sense to Steve. If the man was a problem, why not tackle it head on? But that was rich people, he guessed – problems couldn’t just be tackled head on, that would be in bad taste and someone would lose his face. So Tony had to use other means to get rid of his ~~stalker~~ adorer.

And Steve was apparently the solution to the problem.

* * *

 

Once Steve had said yes, everything happened very quickly. Steve guessed that was also a rich people thing – when they set their mind to do something, they easily managed to get stuff done because they also had the _means_ to get it done.

So, in a very short time, Steve ended up with his own private room just next to Tony’s in the Tower, and he got fitted for a completely new wardrobe, shoes included. Tony generally threw an enormous amount of things Steve really didn’t need at him, and Steve kept trying to refuse, but Tony insisted that this was needed to make everything believable.

Steve was already regretting giving his agreement to this whole plan. He was really not clear how this was supposed to work out. And he wondered whether Tony habitually threw this many things at his lovers, because it was, frankly, ridiculous.

“Tony, why in god’s name are you giving me a Rolex?” Steve asked desperately. “Even if I really _was_ your lover, I would never accept it!”

“Like I would give you anything other than the best,” Tony grumbled. “And why do you even know what a Rolex is?”

“Tony, that brand is over a hundred years old,” Steve said, rolling his eyes. “And I told you that you don’t need to give me anything. I have everything I need, and you gave me a room, that is _more than enough_. Are you trying to smother me? Am I your kept man or something?”

Tony scrunched up his face, but he didn’t reply.

“Come on, Tony, no amount of presents will make this game of pretend look more convincing,” Steve tried to persuade Tony. “I think it’s more important that the two of _us_ look convincing.”

Tony tilted his head and looked at him with a considering stare.

“You mean…” he started.

“I mean that no matter how much money you throw at me, it’s going to be useless when we don’t look like we’re in love,” Steve explained, feeling his heart beating faster both with embarrassment and excitement that he viciously pushed down. “And right now, we really don’t look like we’re in love. We look like two colleagues arguing with each other, not like _lovers_ arguing with each other.”

Tony hummed and narrowed his eyes. Steve knew that look. He had seen it many times, in many different versions, but it was the first time that this particular version had been focused on him. It was the look Tony usually got just before he attacked.

And oh, Steve was right. One moment later, a seductive smile spread over Tony’s face, and he stepped closer to Steve, wrapping one hand around Steve’s waist, placing the other one on Steve’s nape and pressing gently, trying to make Steve bow down a little.

“Come on, Steve, don’t be shy,” Tony taunted. “I know for a fact you have kissed Natasha before.”

“That was for a mission,” Steve complained, unable to hold back a faint blush. “And she was professional about it.”

“Are you saying I’m not professional about it?” Tony grinned. “I feel insulted.”

“Tony, you are the complete opposite of professional,” Steve insisted, but he bowed down anyway and kissed Tony on his lips.

It was a bit weird, at the beginning. Not that he had never kissed boys, he had. But that hadn’t really been any different from kissing girls. But Tony had a beard that gently scratched over Steve’s chin and cheeks, and it made it very obvious that the person Steve was kissing right now was a ~~very attractive~~ man. And, well, Tony was a very good kisser. Well, no, a _fantastic_ kisser.

“So, more convincing now?” Tony asked, drawing back.

“Slightly,” Steve agreed, trying to hide that he had enjoyed this a tad more than was probably appropriate. Not that Tony didn’t look absolutely delighted.

“Now the only thing left to do is you staring at me adoringly, and listening to my every word,” Tony sniggered.

“I don’t think that’s how it works,” Steve laughed. “And listening to your every word? I better not.”

“Hey, what’s with the endless amount of sass here?” Tony whined, but Steve was already laughing too much to feel bad about Tony’s pouting face.

* * *

 

They settled in a pretty easy routine after that. Steve managed to pop up and ‘claim’ Tony whenever that creeper (who was also somehow related to one of Tony’s shareholders, which apparently gave him total immunity) was around, while Tony managed to avoid the press finding out about the whole thing.

For most of the world, they looked like good friends who did a lot of things together, but for Tony’s stalker, Steve was an insurmountable barrier. Galas, functions, the end of board meetings, after work, even free time, Steve was always there, getting into that asshole’s way and preventing him from interacting with Tony, all while sending him subtle ‘he’s _mine_ , stay away’ messages.

Steve had assumed it would get annoying and tedious after a while, but he unexpectedly found himself enjoying these times he and Tony were stuck together. Tony was charming and entertaining when he tried, and he also had a very ~~weird~~ interesting sense of humour. In other words, the two of them got along unexpectedly well.

After a short while, they started to spend time together even in private. Despite Steve’s initial reservations, Tony didn’t turn out to be an extreme party animal, and Steve realised that Tony was actually a rather private person when he didn’t need to be ‘THE Tony Stark’. On free days, he puttered around the Tower, building things, fighting with his robots and/or A.I., hanging around his living room and watching movies. And more and more often, Steve found himself joining him.

“Hey, Tony?” Steve asked one night while they were lazily lying on the sofas in Tony’s living room, watching a film and munching on popcorn. “Why did you choose me?”

Tony looked away from the giant flatscreen and gave Steve an incredulous look.

“Do I really have to explain that to you?” he asked in an unbelieving tone.

“Yeah well, you could have taken anyone else, right?” Steve mused. “Rhodey, or Clint, or even Natasha?”

“Natasha or Clint?” Tony scoffed. “No thank you, that would lead to unfavourable injuries and a lot of collateral damage. Rhodey doesn’t work, he’s been my friend for way too long, the ship of romantic possibilities has sailed a long time ago. And Steve, seriously, have you _looked_ at yourself? And do you _know_ yourself? Showing up with you is basically the biggest ‘fuck off’ a guy can get. The pissing contest is already over before it even started.”

“You like me because I’m a strong alpha male who protects his pack?” Steve teased, trying to suppress a grin.

“Ew, Steve,” Tony complained and grimaced. “Has Clint introduced you to the dark abysses of the internet?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Steve chuckled, and after a short while they were both laughing and trying to top each other with silly and dumb stories that somehow involved the rest of the Avengers.

* * *

 

“Hey Steve,” Tony greeted from his bedroom door, looking tousled and sleepy. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Good morning, Mr. Sleepyhead,” Steve smiled at him. “Yeah, Sam’s off today, so we’ve decided to meet up. We didn’t have any plans today, so I guessed it was alright?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Tony mumbled, rubbing his eyes. “Just tell me next time.”

“I will,” Steve promised, leaning over to give Tony a good-bye kiss. “Have a nice day.”

Only when he had already left the penthouse, he realised that something had been off.

He wasn’t supposed to kiss Tony with no-one around.

* * *

 

“Hey Steve,” Tony announced himself.

Steve smiled and hummed, looking up from the book he had been reading on the sofa, waiting for Tony to come up from the workshop so they could watch a film. When he saw Tony’s serious face, however, his smile slid from his face.

“Tony,” he asked. “Is there a problem?”

“No, no, not at all,” Tony negated, waving a hand. “Just the opposite, actually. I think I should finally live up to my promise, since it seems my little problem has been solved. “

Steve didn’t know how to reply to that. If he was completely honest, he had actually forgotten that there had been an agreement. He had forgotten that this was all just make-believe, and he had been genuinely enjoying himself. He had forgotten about the stalker, and hadn’t even noticed his recent absence. He had gotten used to Tony’s presence next to him, Tony who had seemed so abrasive and self-centred when they had met the first time. Tony, who was really none of those things.

“I… yes, right,” he finally stuttered, plastering a fake smile over his face and standing up. He didn’t know what else to say, he felt like he was choking on something and he needed to get _out_ of here, or he’d suffocate.

“The stuff I gave you… it’s yours, you know,” Tony said when Steve passed him by on the way out. “Take it as a thank you.”

A flame of white hot anger lit in Steve’s brain, and before he knew, he had already whirled around and grabbed Tony by his arms.

“I don’t need your money!” he shouted. “I don’t need your stupid expensive garbage! I wanted YOU!”

And then he realised what he had just said, and hastily fled the room.

* * *

 

He was angrily stuffing his things in his bag, contemplating whether he really should take some of the stuff that Tony had given him or not, just as a reminder of all the good memories, when the door quietly opened.

“What?” Steve grunted, stubbornly keeping his back to Tony. He had been humiliated enough for one day, no need to aggravate the hurt.

“You’re dumb,” Tony simply stated.

“And why would that be?” Steve snapped, furiously stuffing some old shirts into the bag without bothering to fold them properly.

“You could have money, and you want _me_?” Tony scoffed. “Steve, there must be something wrong with you. Nothing good comes out of wanting me.”

“Oh yeah?” Steve shouted angrily, whipping around and stalking towards Tony until he was staring down at him. “I don’t think so. Getting along, having fun with each other, laughing about stupid movies and enjoying meals together seems pretty good to me, Tony. What else do you want? Birds singing in the background? Angels rejoicing and giving us their blessing? Me singing love songs under your window at night?”

Tony didn’t reply to that, looking at the mess in Steve’s room and the half-packed bag lying on his bed instead of Steve.

“You’d only regret it,” he finally spoke up.

“Oh, no, Tony, no,” Steve disagreed. “I _am_ already regretting this whole thing. Didn’t you promise me at the beginning that I wouldn’t regret it? But now I’m here, I’m supposed to leave, and I hate it because you showed me something, you made me want something, and now I can’t have it! Regret, _regret_! Do you know how many regrets I already have?”

Steve didn’t know when he had started to shout, but he suddenly realised how loud he was. And that he was crying. He wanted to turn around, wipe his tears away, but Tony reached out and touched his wet cheek.

“Steve,” Tony whispered. “Oh, Steve. Don’t leave, please.”

Steve froze. Was that..?

“I don’t regret a single minute I’ve spent with you, okay,” Tony confessed, and Steve saw that his eyes were wet, as well. “I promised you wouldn’t regret this, and then I go and get all attached. And you’re so nice, and I didn’t know what to do…”

“Stay with me,” Steve pleaded, stepping forward and taking Tony in his arms.

“Steve, you don’t want to get stuck with someone like me,” Tony mumbled.

“You’re exactly the person I want to get stuck with,” Steve assured him with a smile. “I’ve already been stuck with you for a while, and I’m still begging for more. How about that?”

Tony huffed in mock indignation, but the next moment, a small smile was already spreading over his face. He reached up to touch Steve’s nape and gently pressed to make Steve bow down a little. Steve gladly complied.

Their second first kiss was even better than their first one. And this time, Steve didn’t have to pretend that he enjoyed it very, _very_ much.


End file.
